I am officially back among the living. After a crazy summer--I won't say the craziest ever, because I've had some doozies--I am back in Houston (for now) and back on the internet. (I even have a cool new list-thingy that will help plan out a schedule of blog post ideas--which means I might actually have some posting consistency. No promises, though.)

If you already follow me on Twitter, then you read all the craziness as it happened.

If you don't believe me about my crazy summer, check out this map that shows everywhere I went.

The complete itinerary includes: fly to OKC, drive to Vegas, fly to Houston, fly to DC, train to NYC, fly to Vegas, drive to OKC, drive to Houston. All in the space of two and a half months. Is it any wonder that I went AWOL for awhile?

But now I'm back! And, after sharing some more details about my Summer of Crazy, I have some fun blogs planned.

Also, there should be official cover art for FORGIVE MY FINS and an excerpt available soonish. Check in often to see get the dish.

Hugs,
TLC

Omigosh, I know I've been blog-absent for, like, ever. But I have good excuse! I've been traveling the country (my summer so far: Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, Houston, Las Vegas, Houston, Washington DC, New York City, and Las Vegas). I'm still traveling, to tell the truth, but I couldn't hold out on the blogging any longer because I need your help.

I'm trying to compile of list of loose threads and unanswered questions from OH. MY. GODS. and GODDESS BOOT CAMP. I'm not promising to answer those questions right now, but I've got something in the works and I need to know everything that needs to be wrapped up. So, if my first two books left you dying to know something, post your questions in comments or email me at tlc@teralynnchilds.com.

Hugs,
TLC

I finished reading Peeps by Scott Westerfeld last week and it was pretty much awesome. Definitely a unique take on the whole vampire mythology, so woot-woot for that.

Besides just finishing the book, I'm super proud of myself for not getting totally freaked out by all the very real, very scientific, and very gross information about various real world parasites that Westerfeld wove into the story. I'm a science show addict, but I still tend to go little overboard on the reaction scale. Like omigod-I-have-ebola overboard. But I remained completely rational throughout and after the book. I'm never getting a cat, but that wasn't really a concern in the first place.

Another book that should have freaked me out but surprisingly did not was Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I've been known to have nightmares about the sun expanding into a red giant, a meteor or comet hitting the earth, or the moon circling ever closer, the last of which is the premise of the book. I didn't have a single moon-related nightmare.

If I were feeling self-congratulatory, I would attribute my sane reactions to a new level of maturity and acceptance of the unpredictible nature of the world. But I have to give credit where credit is due: to the authors. Westerfeld and Pfeffer did amazing jobs of presenting scary, scientifically-sound information in a way that kept my head level. Kudos, because that's a tough thing to do!

Obviously, I recommend both of these books. Has anyone else read them with similar or differig result? Am curious.

Hugs,
TLC

Remember that old game you used to play in elementary school, where you lock fist with a friend (or enemy) and say:

One, two, three, four.
I declare a thumby war.

Well, Goal Wars is kind of the same. Only, instead of squashing you partner's thumb into submission, you're squashing your own goals for that day. I got the idea when Nisha Sharma and I decided to faceoff (my copyedits vs. her three chapters) on Twitter. What better way to use the Twitterverse than to become more productive?

The rules are simple. Declare your Goal War for the day by defining your goal, choosing your partner(s), and posting both to Twitter with the #goalwar tag. At the end of the day, post your reckoning. Claim your reward if you succeeded, admit defeat if you failed. Anyone who includes me (@teralynnchilds) in their Goal War will get posted to my blog in either the Hall of Heroes or the Wall of Shame. Enter the battlefield at your own peril.

Hugs,
TLC

OH. MY. GODS. (now in paperback!)
GODDESS BOOT CAMP (out now!)
http://teralynnchilds.com

I'm going to give you a lesson on 80s music, but first a squee moment. For reader/fans from north of the border I have some very exciting news. FORGIVE MY FINS is already available for pre-order on Amazon.ca!!! (That also means it has a tentative official release of May 19, 2010.)

Okay, now onto the lesson.

The first pop song I ever heard was "Beat It" by Michael Jackson. I was in first grade and one of my classmates came to school one day signing it. It's a classic and is Billboard's number 5 song from 1983. You can watch the original video on the Michael Jackson YouTube channel (but they won't let me embed).

Next came "Mickey" by Toni Basil. My girlfriends and I used to sing this to the boys we liked during recess. (Yes, I'm talking about you Josh and Barclay!) We even had a little choreographed dance to go with the song. Adorable, no? Here's the video:


I also have a fun memory about "Puttin' on the Ritz" by Taco. (Yes, really, Taco.) There was a street performer painted silver to look like a tin man sculpture, doing the robot to this song. That's what I picture every time I hear this song.


Here is my essential playlist of fun and/or forgotten pop hits of the early 80s:

1. "Beat It" by Michael Jackson
2. "Mickey" by Toni Basil*
3. "Puttin' on the Ritz" by Taco
4. "Call Me" by Blondie*
5. "Lady" by Kenny Rogers
6. "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield
7. "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John
8. "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
9. "I Love Rock N' Roll" by Joan Jett*
10. "Centerfold" by J. Geils Band
11. "Every Breath You Take" by The Police*
12. "What's Love Got To Do With It" by Tina Turner
13. "Turning Japanese" by The Vapors
14. "We Got the Beat" by The Go-Gos*
15. "Maneater" by Hall & Oates
16. "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club*
17. "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners*
18. "All Night Long" by Lionel Ritchie
19. "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams*
20. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder

(* indicates song is still a fave)

Hugs,
TLC